The Telegraph Group has served notice that it is interested in buying Northern & Shell's (N&S) 50% stake in West Ferry Printers.


It had 42 days after N&S bought Express Newspapers to register its interest.


"Now we have to look at all the pros and cons," said managing director Jeremy Deedes. There is no time limit on the Telegraph's decision.


Deedes said N&S would be forced to sell if the Telegraph decided to buy and a price was arrived at by agreement or arbitration.


The Telegraph owns the other 50% of West Ferry and a buy-out would make sense; at Drupa the group signed a letter of intent for seven Heidelberg Mainstream presses, five of them for West Ferry.